A Song Bird's flight
by the.crimson.siren
Summary: He was brought there to destroy everything she held dear; and yet he found himself wrapped in her siren song. How will they escape a world that is meant to consume them both? E/C Mature in future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Yes, it has been too long. I am a terrible person. But here we are trying once more at a new story. I think I have found the ability to stick with a story now. So do, like always, enjoy and tell me what you think. If any ideas of where this abrupt idea should go come to mind, please feel free to shoot me the thought. :) Happy reading.

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The World's Turning: Chapter 1

I have lived amongst them for years now, my father taking me under his wing until much recently. My father was a good man, he gave me a life that he believed a little girl deserved. One filled with fantasies and dreams that only fairy-tales seemed to encompass. When the war cast a shadow over our city, my father was the first to claim back his territory. He used to always tell me-a man that does not fight for his land is no man at all. And so I believed him, if I would have known it was to cost him his life I would have thought to prevent his departure. But that time is no longer here nor there and now I find myself bowing to a new ruler. A man that wishes for me to be his queen.

"Sing." He ordered, his eyes roaming my clothing with an ability that made me weary enough to think he could actually see beyond it's barriers.

"I cannot." I offered in return, my emerald orbs glistening to find an object that could keep my trembling self safe from his penetrating gaze.

"What was that?" He quipped. " I'm quite certain I did not just hear a refusal from my betrothed? Did I?" His tone was calm, frightfully so, but the twitch the cast itself in his lip gave way to his building rage. The king was always said to have a temper, how far it truly reigned I hoped I would never see. "Sing." He stated once more, his voice casting a tighter pull as his patience began to filter away.

"Once more, my lord, I cannot sing for you. My voice died the moment my father did. Forgive me, but there is no music within my soul to _give_." With a gesture to the guard a man was dragged through the doors and placed before my feet. It was then that Gregory finally attempted to stand from his throne, his mouth shaping with a smirk that made his beautiful face gleam with a hideousness that only hell could serve. "See this man my lady?" I nodded. "I swear on pain of death, if you do not sing for me I shall have you watch me spread his entrails before your feet."

My ears feasted to no words that he dared to threaten with, for the man upon his knees had captured every bit of me that could be salvaged. His skin was torn with cuts and burns painted a crimson that had dried to crust and merge with the dirt of his torment. He was frightfully lean and for the area that we resided his skin didn't carry the glow that most of our people had. No, he was like a...ghost, pale, powdery almost, yes a ghost in human form. But what was more peculiar about the man twas that there was a cloth over his head covering every bit of his face, except for his eyes.

"Why does he wear that?" To this the king laughed, heartily so, I suppose my question was more amusing then it summoned itself to be. "You ask _why_ dear child, would you care to take off the sheet and find out for yourself?" He gave no room for an answer. "My curious feline, sing for me before your new found friend here is battered even further." I did as he bid then, my world shattering to a low dull as my voice sought out a home. I don't know when but during my minor performance I had found myself on my knees, as I softly reached to comfort the masked man. Surely the king would not be pleased.

* * *

She was an angel if I ever saw one, a stupid fallen angel that would die for me if she wasn't too careful. "Enough." The King roused, his eyes taking on the scene before him with a disgust that embarrassed him amongst the rest that occupied the room. "His life is spared, for now." Her eyes brightened with relief then and before she could pull away completely I faired to bow my head further and kiss the hem of her gown in thanks. Though I did not fear death I certainly didn't wish for it either.

The wounds upon my flesh were nothing compared to the ache that filled me with grief. I had fled from this world, a world of hostility and unforgivingness. And yet somehow I had been dragged back to where it all started. You see I was once a servant for the king, my job being one that left my hands drenched in blood. While the world wished nothing of me I was designed to live down beneath the jail cells-I taught the poor men how to suffer. I was so very good at it-torturing that is, not suffering. Suffering is something that has currently taken my attention.

"Ser Devereux, I find it only fair to reinstate your position." To this the angel furrowed a brow. "Reinstate?" She cooed, her eyes glossing over to shield the life that sprung for my consuming. "Indeed my lady. I was, am, a member of this court." The shame crept through me like a viper waiting to strike; her gasp filling my ears with a dullness that made my head drop to a further low. "That name..." She started, her tiny feet shifting a few paces back. "...I know _that _name."

"Well by God I would hope so, my dear Christine I would like you to meet Erik Devereux, the executioner." Her eyes flamed with a fire that burned right through me. "You killed my brother, ser." I met her gaze with pride. "I've killed many brothers my soon-to-be queen, my condolences if yours happened to be one of the lot to meet their death." I watched as the betrayal she felt flooded the room before me. The song bird had given me her voice to only learn that I was but another enemy among her. "How unfortunate." She clipped. "He was a good man ser." As an afterthought she added. "Is your face truly how they say, my lord? Does death's head reign on your _frail_ body?"

The spitfire, she fueled the evil within me just as much as she seduced the saint. "Would you care to see, my lady? You only but need ask and I shall grant you whatever you so wish." She looked to her king for guidance my comment gearing the intended fear I'd hoped for. "I think that's all for today. Guards bring Ser Devereux to his rooms and have the maids tend to his wounds. I'm certain this shall be the last time you disobey my orders, Ser Executioner?" With a nod I propped myself to full height despite the pain that ignited from the quick movement. "Indeed my king, your executioner is in your superior debt. I give you my thanks; and to you my lady, you saved my life." And with that the guards escorted me away.

"How did he disobey, my king?" The hummingbird needed answers, her curiosity once again feeding for knowledge. "He grew a conscience my betrothed. Nothing a few whips and chains couldn't fix."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Gods Only Know**

"Take me, please by the love of the Gods free me from this Hell. You said to be strong Father, but I no longer have the strength to do this. I'm frightened, so very frightened. I feel as if every day I am betraying everything you once taught me. Help me, free these chains I am bound to. Give me a death that is swift so I can see you once more. I beg you, that is all I want..."

"You must be careful where you say such things, my lady." Her body became of stone, her shoulders lifting to regain her regal appeal. "You never know when the Gods may truly grant you your wish." It was then that she turned, her face drenched with fallen tears of agony. "How dare you." She hissed. "How dare you disturb my sanctuary, monster?" A growl festered itself in my chest as she continued her tirade. Her hands lifting her skirts to lift herself evenly off the dirt terrain she had been kneeling in. "You have no right to be here!"

"You do not think I pray to the Gods myself, my lady?"

She scoffed. "You have no Gods ser, you work for some other kind of God. But not mine. My Gods would never let death fall on so many innocent victims by one man's hands." It was in that moment, the moment she showed not a drop of fear that I knew I had to have her. "You are sorely mistaken dear Christine, for it is your Gods that have brought so much war upon us; it is your Gods that took you away from your home and brought you here to stay; it is your Gods that stripped your father from you and left you with nothing."

"Monster!" She struck me then, her hand showing mercy by striking the unmasked side of my face. But as the feline raised herself for another attack I was quick to stop the assault. "The first was out of kindness but do not mistake it Christine, in my world there are penalties for when a woman raises her hand to a man."

"I am your queen."

I shook my head. "Not yet you aren't." With a struggle for her release she became wild, her attacks coming as they may as she fought to get away from my grip. It was amazing, a truly exquisite scene as the maiden changed herself into a helpless bird trying to stretch its wings. "Christine." Ignorance. "Christine!" Still nothing. With a slight technique in my foot work I managed to drag her to the closest tree unscathed. "Stop this madness before I..."

"Before you what? Kill me? Do it! I grant you permission freely. Take me away from this world, Executioner. Do as you are made to do. Kill me. Please. Leave my body to nature and say that I was but attacked by an animal. Tell them whatever they wish to hear, but take me away." In her pursuit her hands stopped their harsh menstruations and began to sing instead. She began to tug and pull, her fingers working over my covered flesh with a tinge of musicality. The seductress, she knew exactly how to get her away. "As you wish my lady, if you truly want death I shall grant it to you."

* * *

Lies. It was all lies. His mockery of mercy was probably an antidote to form a brief sanity within me. I had been such on defence that I had barely noticed the changes that this man exuded from the first time I had saw him. No longer was there a sack to hide his face-instead a white mask took care to conceal it from man's view. But what took me more by surprise was the masculinity and strength his entire being possessed. It radiated from him and almost smothered me alive. "You swear? I want your word ser."

He chuckled before commenting, "Ser? Again with formalities. You truly are a gem amongst us, aren't you my Christine? I swear on everything that I am, that if by the time your wedding day has approached, and you still feel that you have nothing to live for, I will take you from this world by my own hands. This is my verdict, you may accept it as you wish." Relief, it washed over me in waves. In a month I would find my peace.

"I accept. Thank you, kind ser."

"Erik. Call me Erik when we are not amongst the rest. I find it comforting to hear my name fall from your lips. Those perfect lips." His words purred in my ear as it was now his turn to timidly touch my arms and waist.

"You forget yourself, Erik. I am to be your queen, if Gregory finds that you have touched a hair upon my head you will not be able to keep your promise." His lip twitched into what could be conceived as a smirk. "How tragic that would be. My sincere apologies, I shall leave you to your Gods, my lady. I shall see you in court." And with a bow he left me to my solitude once more.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I'm sure as you have guessed every chapter will have both Christine's POV as well as Erik's. Raoul IS introduced briefly in this Chapter but I assure you there is more of him to come. :) Once again enjoy darlings.

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**Chapter 3: Break Her Down**

As the days passed the King seemed to busy himself with the impending war that continued to brew on outside the city walls. It festered itself like a boiling pot and as the anxiousness seemed to slowly strangle us all, we readied ourselves for the battle soon to come. My poor father had been right—war was not a means to an end, for when one fight was won there was always another awaiting to be tried. "Your majesty?" I bid.

"What is it Christine?" _Christine_, my name was a spoken tell of how far his world was quickly crashing. For you see, our dear Gregory was always one of formalities; it was easier to separate a personal connection that way-easier to think of oneself as a God.

"I only wish to know what is so troubling my heart." It was my endearment that made him suspicious, his eyes glaring as he lifted himself from his overly ornate seat.

"Your heart is it? Now when did I have the blessing of picking up such a title? Last I knew, my sweet intended held quite the bitter taste for her sworn other half. Are you afraid my dear?" His question held ridicule, every word scraping further to strip away the wondrous mask I had built around me. "Do you finally see how much you need me? How this marriage only fastens your safety to its highest? Without me you are nothing, nothing but a common whore awaiting her first penetration."

"Without you, I would be better off." I spat. "I would rather be dead than share a life with you. You, gentle King, are the reason why your people are suffering. You are the reason why they fear the worst when this war comes flooding through our city gates. You cannot protect them, and I surely believe you don't care to. You are a gluttonous King my lord, you care for none other than yourself!"

"Hold your tongue or I shall cut it off, my lady!" His growl echoed through the chamber with the clap that sprung four guards to barrel through the doorway. "Ser Chagny, fetch me my Ripper."

"But your Majesty, his attention is else where. He is readying the troops for battle." Raoul de Chagny—the sheep amongst lions. Although his abilities never took as one of the fluffy kind he surely did not belong to the guard. His heart was much gentler than the rest; it beat with a tenderness that proved him to be worthy of wearing the armor he carried.

"As you wish your Majesty."

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"What can be so dire that I am to be pulled from my obligations, your Majesty?" I seethed; there was no time for these illusions of dominance.

"Your King wishes for a demonstration, Ser Devereux." Gregory stated, his eyes sparkling with a hint of deviousness. It was then that I took note of the female presence in the room, her doe-like eyes reflecting back at me with dread.

"As my King wishes, what shall you have me do?" The trap had been set and I took the bait with ease. There was no telling how far this charade would last but it looked as if nothing good would come of it.

"It seems that our future queen is in need of a teacher. I wish for her to be educated in the art of how to speak to her King." With a swift nod the girl was snatched up by two guards and brought before me on her knees. "Show her what happens when one defies me ser."

"Your Majesty, I implore you that perhaps this is not the best way to…"

"Silence." The King boomed, his voice like a whip to a horse. "Do as I say."

"And how do you wish for me to mentor my pupil?" I dared not look, for the hardness with which I paraded myself was sure to break with one full glance her way. I felt it, her urgency; her fear suspended itself on my chest and felt like an unmovable boulder weighing me down.

"With blood. Make her bleed executioner."

"My beloved please there is no need for drastic measures!" And so the bird found her song once more. "It's this awful war you see, it has made me forget myself. I fear that women are not built for a topic made for men." He shook his head there was no persuading.

"Where?" I questioned, my bony hand fiddling with the sheathed dagger at my side.

"Anywhere but her face. I dare not wish for others to think of me as something crueler than what I am." The pit of my stomach churned, as the blade materialized.

"My lady, if you would kindly lift of up your skirt." She struggled against them, the men becoming far too eager to perform the task for her. But as my voice repeated the request she understood that the swiftest way for it all to end was to cooperate. I sliced down her thigh, the blood slowly surfacing itself as a wail filled the thick air.

"Deeper." He commanded, and so the blade made its way further into the muscle, her screams becoming harsher along the way. The tears bathed over her cheeks as her eyes lifted to meet my own with an emotion that could not be described with words. It seemed as if another part of her had died the moment the cold metal split her skin. Or perhaps it was but another part of her that she had learned to lock away in a cage for safekeeping. She was becoming a shell of her former self you see, a shell of the woman who saved my life not so long ago.

"Your Majesty if I continue such menstruations the wound will not be able to heal properly. I doubt you want a limp wife at your side." With a raised hand he ceased the torment and released her once more, bidding her back to her rooms.

I continued on with my day, unfortunately knowing that the nursemaids would have to tend to her wounds for the moment. But as the day faded into the evening I knew too well where I would find my songbird.

"How do you fare, my dear?"

The dark woods shadowed her features, as she remained faceless in the night. "Leave me." She sparked, her head turning to befall on my frame with frustration. "I care not for your presence.

"It had to be done." I stated matter-of-factly. "If I refused another would have taken my place. It was the most mercy I could show, you must understand." With a step towards her I placed the light I carried within a few branches, the glow awakening the circumference around us. "Lift your dress."

"You have not right to ask me such things." Kneeling to her height I slowly reached for her ankle my fingertips testing the boundaries that lay before me.

"I beseech you my _Queen_, show me the damage that fills this humble servant with overwhelming regret. Let me take away your pain." I waited not for an answer as my hand determinedly reached underneath the folds of fabric and lifted until the callous gash rushed into sight. "Bloody imbeciles…" It was worse than I had hoped for. "…they can't even tend to a wound properly. Name me your wenches my lady and I will have their heads for this neglectfulness!" From my pockets came ointments and herbs, my hands going thoroughly to work on her leg as her hisses clattered my eardrums.

Such beautiful perfect skin, and here I was being the monster to damage such art. It killed me inside to be the maker of this mark and yet she seemed not to share in my grievances. "Do you wish to return the favor, an eye for an eye, my lady? You may, you may cut and tear at whatever you please if it would make you feel whole again. I assure you, your marks would be still nothing compared to what lies behind this mask."

"There is nothing you can do ser to make me feel whole again. I am complete no longer and fear will never be." Her words were barely above a whisper, her mind focused on something more than the apparent scene before us. "Press on it harder."

"My lady, if I press the herbs any harder into your skin it will surely hurt severely or worse reopen the wound." _When had my hand started to massage the rest of her unmarked skin?_

"I assure you I wish for it, give me what I wish for Erik. Do as your Queen commands." I grasped at her flesh now, my hand pressing harder to her skin as I lifted myself and her leg with me. With one fluid motion I once again had her against a tree, my body the only element pinning her in place.

"You must be mad." I whispered my heart racing within my chest. "There could be no other explanation. How else could you enjoy my hands upon you? How else could you enjoy this?" Her hiss formed into a moan as my callous fingers zipped across her gash once more. "Tell me to stop, child. Tell this heartless cur to stop."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Tides Turn**

My life has become one of frailties and moral complications, it is as if God has placed a cage of deception around me, keeping me trapped from the unbreakable truth that is right before my eyes. No, I lie even now, the truth is something that is apparent, the truth is something that is so obvious it keeps me up at night with its infidelities and injustice; the truth is a man, and that man is Erik Devereux.

Everything about him exudes an arrogant disdain for the world that I loathe beyond comprehension. I hate this man, in that very cruel way that I actually have learned to care for him, hate him. It's unfathomable really, how much love one person can have for another. I see him, and I'm suffocating, hoping that he could save me from a world that he so graciously is willing to spare me from.

"More." I cooed, my voice taking on a life of its own. His hands were ice compared to my blazing skin—both churning together to form an ecstasy that conjured up a shiver through my spine.

"Christine." It was a summons, a prayer that made me feel like a Goddess more than a soon-to-be queen. "You do not want this foolish girl, if I take you…" His lips pressed delicate kisses across my neck, kisses that were interrupted by that infuriating mask upon his face. "…if I take you..." He continued. "…you will be _mine,_ do you hear? My vow to you would be void, I refuse to destroy something that so valuable to me." _His_, I was no one's. Hell, throughout all that had occurred I could hardly render myself, my own anymore. My life was already spoken for, and it was Death that had claimed it.

And yet here he was, this hidden Angel, asking me to place my soul within his safekeeping. Could he be trusted? Had I already fallen victim into trusting him? "Tell me what that would mean, Erik." I gulped as his kisses made their way further down, dipping themselves just above the peaks he seemed so willing to get to. "What would it mean if I gave myself to you…" He stopped then, his face becoming that of stone as he lifted his head to meet my gaze. His golden eyes were filled with a haze that he tried desperately to conceal.

"I would take you from here—when the time is right. I would make sure that no one ever harmed even a hair on your head, ever again. I would be your protector, my lady. Your shield. Then when the time is right and you seem to be able to take care of yourself, I would hope that you would just let me remain at your side." His eyes broke our gaze instead casting themselves to the floor with a sigh. "I don't even expect you to consider me your lover, I simply wish to follow you, bath in your light and stay by your side as a common pet, my lady. That is what I want. That is what you shall be when you say you are mine. Mine to protect, mine to love, mine to let go of when necessary."

"Then claim me as yours Erik, and take me away from here. I think I may wish to see the world; that is what my father would have wanted." He was swollen with pride, his hands feasting to the air as a bow courteously took his posture. I had been so wrapped up in our intangible limbs that I mistook the intruder within our mitts for the sweet rustling of the trees but Erik was more wiser to the seeking eyes of the woods. For in that moment our beautiful instant had ended and the beast that lurked behind a thin curtain within the man before me lifted away.

"Step out of the shadows ser, it does nothing good to hide from your enemy." His sword slid grittingly out of its holder. "And if you think that running is a better pursuit let me dissuade you now. I will catch you, find you, and your death would be far worse then if you show yourself." Turning to face the foliage he did as well as he could (with such a thin body) to hide me behind his frame, as two men stepped out of the trees swords high.

"Raoul!" My sudden outburst did not go unnoticed for the next words spoken by the lot of them were more frantic than ever.

"She is Gregory's, Erik." Raoul stated, his sword moving to slowly slip back into its holster. For a smart man he was pretty dumb to trust Erik wouldn't hurt him. However, Ser Kean had different ideas.

"Well fuck all else, here you are fucking the queen as we prepare for this blasted war. Why can't we all get a taste of her then? Come now Erik, if she let your lips touch her I'm sure there will be no denying mine." With a step forward Ser Kean swung his sword, Erik blocking the attack easily. His body had shifted into that of a snake, I beginning to fear the new man before me. He was no longer the Erik that I had come to trust, but the man that killed my brother as well as of hundreds of other men. There was blood on this man's hands, gallons of it.

"You will not touch her." Erik hissed.

"Fine than, I'll just see what the King has to say about this. He'll have your head."

"Not before I have yours." Throwing his sword to the ground he flicked from his tunic a snake of his own. One that caught around Ser Kean's neck and brought him crashing to the ground with a snap. He was dead in an instant, we all could feel it, but it was Raoul's gasp that made it real.

"You…how could you, you killed your own man!" He tore, his voice trying to remain as quiet as possible.

"And as it seems, I'm about to do it again."

"Erik, no! You musn't. You can trust Raoul." My hand gripped to the fabric of his arm, his muscles pulsing with an adrenaline that left him wound up like a bow.

"I trust no one my lady—especially those who spy on their Commanders." With a flick of his wrist my lame attempt failed him, his mind too far gone to listen to reason.

"I will not say a word." Raoul insisted. "In fact I can help you! You must trust that it would be far easier to get her out of here with two rather than one. You cannot do everything on your own Executioner."

"Why would you help me?" I asked, my voice quiet as a fleeting humming bird.

"Haven't you already guessed?" Erik started, his voice laced with an acid that burned. "Ser Chagny has a soft spot for his queen-to-be, he always has. His eyes betray him my lady, he will do anything for you; if you only let him."

* * *

The wop's head remained placed high as if my words were no attempt to shame him. He had loved her the first moment he saw her, we both had I'm afraid. But the difference is that this young buck before me carried within him everything that I could never hope to be. He was what I hated of this world, and now for Christine's sake his life was within my grasp. A life that I had given to her the moment I bowed my head.

"It is your choice my lady. I shall do as you bid me, I swore that I would protect you, but this decision is yours." Fucking hell, even I knew I could trust him.

"Than he lives. I want your solemn vow Ser Chagny, I have spared your life—now you must use it safe my own." _When did she sounding like such a queen?_

Stepping over the corpse between us, Raoul planted himself on a knee, his eyes reaching for her own, as the fear of tonight's events began to lift off of her. "I grant you my loyalty my lady, and swear before the Gods that I shall do everything in my power to get you away from this place—even if that means to give up my own life to do so. This is my word."

"Then rise ser and listen to your Commander." With a gesture she gave the power away just as easily as she took it.

"You my dear, must go back up to your quarters immediately. Ser Chagny and myself shall clean up this…_mess_. If you happen to pass anyone along the way, you but tell them that you were hungry and did not wish to disturb anyone for anything. Do you understand me?"

"I am not a child." She warned. "I understand excruciatingly well. None shall see my return and it will be as if I was in my room the entire time."

Lifting up her hood she turned away from us, leaving me with a coldness that I loathed. "My lady." I ventured, her body shifting to turn only slightly. "In the morning do remember to get someone to also take care of that wound. Your intense working did well to reopen it." I lifted my hand showing the spots of blood upon it before ignoring her once more and retracting the rope back into its hiding spot with a smirk on my face.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: First off, I just want to thank you all for the lovely reviews and interest in this story. In all honesty, this story is one that I am writing chapter by chapter with no true plot that is set in stone.

Your help and efforts have made this slow burning journey worth wild, and I just wanted to thank you all for that. Feel free to your comments, I am not one to feel harshly towards constructive criticism. :)

Secondly, this chapter was (for lack of better words) a pain in my ass. I hate the whole idea of transition chapters, but here is one. So I apologize if it is not like my previous chapters. I may change and reconstruct it in the future but for now I just wanted to leave you something to chew on.

Like always do enjoy.

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"Did you?"

"Boy, I will not be discussing this with you. Go return to your duties before I neglect the lady's wishes and finish what I started."

"Ser, I need to know if you did…" His pathetic concern for her only built to fuel the rage I had for this new predicament. She was not his to be concerned with, she was supposed to be mine; and yet I suppose I had lost that privilege before it was fully even gained. Our Christine was learning far too quickly the womanly power she held—hell she already had two fools under her thumb to do her bidding.

"Did I what?" With the quill out of hand I turned my attention fully to the disturbance. "Did I deflower our damsel? Did I _steal_ her maidenhood in the woods like only a true monster could?" I was thinking of all the ways I could _kill_ this boy with such a quill. "You were there boy! What did you see?" With a growl of frustration I finished the answer for him. "No, our dear lady's virtue is still very much intact. I didn't even get passed the gown she adorned, ser."

This seemed to comfort him enough for the next thing I knew he was taking his leave from my quarters. "She is still mine regardless." I interrupted. "So it be best that you remember that boy. When all this over and we succeed in this mission, you and I will be parting ways." I though it too obvious to mention which direction Christine would be going with.

"Does that mean she has seen your face than?" To this I only gave him silence, a silence that spoke volumes.

"Ahh, than you have not won yet after all my friend. We shall be allies until this is over but mark my words I will not give up Christine without a fight. In the end it is her choice who she chooses to leave with."

To say the rest of the evening did not go as planned was a cruel understatement. When we met up for court for that night the air was tinged with a light jubilance: everyone seeming to overlook the impending battle only a few days away.

I, on the other hand, was swimming in it; my mind festering over the 'how's' of how to keep Christine as far from the hands of danger as possible.

"Ser Devereux? May I have this dance?" The dove's words floated around me like a buzzing I could not be rid of. "Ser Devereux?" It was the touch the brought me back to reality, the light feather of a hand to my elbow. "What has my protector in such a brooding mood?"

"You musn't say such things so loudly my lady, you never know who could be listening." With a sigh Christine made her way to the floor, I following right behind her.

"I care not for the people around us Ser, and care less to who listens. I do and say as I please, now if you will; I am bored and wish to dance."

"As you wish my lady." She faltered only slightly, her leg putting a tender damper to her balance as a new song begun. "Meet me in the woods tonight." I whispered, my body mimicking her own in step.

"So that we may finish what we started?" She was too brazen, too courageous for my taste. Where had the wounded bird flown? This woman before me now was neither wounded nor scared; instead she carried a new bravery about her that I wished to bathe in.

"So that we may figure out how to keep you from harm's way." I gave her a light twirl, her hair cascading across her shoulders to spark up the most heavenly lavender scent. "Who is this new Christine?" I inquired lightly. There was the closest thing to a smile playing at my lips now, it had been far too long since I smiled.

The masses had started to watch our little performance, no doubt trying to figure out what the Executioner and the fair maiden could have so much to talk about.

"I realized I have nothing to worry about anymore. You and Raoul, I trust you both, and for once am happy about what is to come. But Erik…" I hissed at her casualness, our on lookers sure to pick up on her lack of curtsey. "…when it's time to kill the King." She whispered. _Gods in hell!_ "I want to be the one to do it." She left with me that, for the song had ended perfectly to her request and with a bow by both we went back to our separate sides.

* * *

"You do know it is quite bold of me to wish to be with the man who slaughtered my kin." Erik had placed himself near a tree, the very tree I had been pressed to only the night before. "Do you think my brother hates me for it?"

"Hates you for it? I doubt. I think it almost impossible for any to hate you, my dear." Always the charmer, for where his looks lacked Erik was sure to make up in charisma. His persona was sensual incarnate, he _was_ romance. It exuded through him with a darkness that gave a mystery chill to his charge. And his mask did nothing but help it. Its coldness, its complete lack of feeling only had many fall into his trap that much more. It was ironic, for we had yet to really talk about the reason for the covering—I barely noticed it anymore and yet it did nothing to extinguish my curiosity.

"This brother." He began. "What was his name?"

With a proud smile I stated, "Christophe Daae. He was a great soldier and man. He didn't deserve his death, he was still so young—still so _needed_." If it is even possible I think he paled three shades.

"What did you say?" With a push to the tree I barely realized he was now before me, his hands reaching for my shoulders with a vice grip. "His name was what Christine?"

"Christophe Daae." I repeated lowly, my eyes searching for the piece of the puzzle I neglected to realize.

"That would make your father, Gustave Daae, wouldn't it?"

"Indeed. Erik, how do you know my family." His urgency was tearing me apart, and yet his silence remained. His eyes too focused on something within him to even notice my questioning. "Erik…why do you know my family?"

"By the Gods, why did I not realize it before? Daae. Christine, go back up to your room…I have something that I must attend to and I fear to have forgotten about it until this very moment." He was lying, it was obvious, and yet his eyes still made there way encouragingly to my own; his demeanor fully intact once more.

"Erik, please, what is it?" His attention was lost, and wish a sweet kiss to my lips he left me in the woods, lonely and no longer reassured.

* * *

"How does she not know?"

"Ser Devereux, barging into your King's quarters unannounced can truly be pricey one of these days." With a sigh the King pulled himself away from his well-paid whore and ushered us to his working room; his hand grasping a robe for modesty I cared not for at the moment.

"Your majesty, how does she not know who she is? How could you not tell her." Daae, when I had heard of Christine's joining to the kingdom I had ignored the idea that she could be anything more than a highborn wench that Gregory was pressing to marry. No doubt needing to produce heirs for his failing kingdom to ensure the throne kept his family in the highest of power.

"If you must know, she does not know who she is because her father made it so. He did not wish for his daughter to know of her true roots in this world. She does not know she is a highborn.'

"No." I interrupted. "She does not know she is already a queen. For the Gods' sake, her people are why we are going to war. They want her back." My hands tightened, as the bloodlust to kill rendered itself fiercely through my body. "Give her back your majesty."

"Over my dead body."

"You will be letting countless innocent people die so that you can, what? Have her? When she finds out what and who she is do you honestly think she will still wish to remain here? Still wish to marry you? Her soldiers are going to flood our gates and take her regardless."

"Not if you are guarding her. Ser Devereux, I know of your skills and more importantly trust in them. She will not find out who she is until the wedding is consummated. That is why I have pressed for it to be moved to tomorrow. After that, no matter what happens, our families will be bound as well as the queen.


End file.
